One of the most fun and economical ways of dining when traveling is to picnic. Nothing beats basking in the local culture at a park with a loaf of bread, some cheese, and a bottle of wine. The ever-savvy Rick Steves has come out with his own Picnic Cutlery Set. A hardy knife, fork, spoon, and corkscrew, all TSA carry-on approved, come in their own plastic carrying case. $17.95

New Rough Guide Maps The people at Rough Guide color their maps so that they are easily legible under sodium street lights which is quite possibly my favorite map feature! With up dated maps for dozens of cities you can now wander the streets with surety day or night. Plus their weather-proof paper lets you use them with ease in sunshine or rain. Among the latest tiles are: Berlin, Brussels, Los Angeles, Cuba, and Dubai. $8.99-$9.99

Whitelines®, a series of journals from those innovative Swedes, has paper with a slight gray tint to it and lines that are white, not the traditional black. The overall affect is that the writing or drawings on this paper really stand out, plus, when photocopied or faxed, the lines disappear. It’s all very cool. Available in a variety of sizes with pages either lined or squared, spiral bound or not, all with a signature bright white cover. $3.00 - $14.00

Headaches from bustling cities, upset stomachs from new food adventures, blisters from day long walks; the sense of adventure that comes with travel lets us put up with all sorts of minor inconveniences. No longer must we suffer these annoying trivialities! Adventure Medical Kits have put together a Travel Medic First Aid Kit with everything the ailing gadabout may need, from band aids to safety pins, all in a reusable carbon neutral package. $10.95

As Hawaii is one of our - and our customer’s - favorite travel destinations, we are quite excited about a new series of maps on the islands. The Environmental maps of Kauai, Maui, and the Big Island have detailed road information, insets of the major cites and attractions, and recreational information. What makes these maps special however, is their atlas quality with maps of climate, geology, and archeology of the island. As edifying as they are functional these maps are great companions for your trip into paradise. $7.00

Eagle Creek has a new pack - the Twist 22″ One of the first things you notice about the Twist is the attractive color which will just pop out on an airport luggage carousel should you choose to check it. However this wheeled bag has more than style going for it. It is packed with a ton of smart features including a stowable full suspension back pack, all terrain (including cobblestones) wheels, compression straps, and the all important life time warranty. $240.00